This week is National Dental Assistants Week, where we recognize dental assisant’s dedication to their profession and patients.   Did you know that the first dental assistants in 1885 were called “Ladies in Attendance”?

The pioneer dentist who first introduced dental assistants was Dr. C. Edmund Kells, who had his wife help him around his practice, from cleaning up after procedures, keeping teeth dry  for fillings, and to mixing dental materials.  His practice continued to flourish since he was able to see more patients in a day, which prompted him to hire an additional assisant, Malvina Cueria.  This was also a huge step for women’s rights since women were now able to visit Dr. Kell’s office unaccompanied by their husbands.  She later would become a trustee for the American Dental Assisants Association in 1953.  This Association was founded by Juliette Southard who in 1911 was one of the first permanent dental assisants.  Check out the outfit worn by one of these early “Ladies in Attendance” in this drawing, a far cry from scrubs!